A Clutch Basket turned up here for modification this week which had only done 6,000 miles from new. Owner had made the chudder test while he rode which confirmed his basket as the source of harsh engine vibrations.

Was hesitant to strip it down and start the work at first because it looked and felt like new from the outside. Different story when stripped and looked inside. Four movies I shot of the problems show all.

THIS NEW GENUINE SUZUKI CLUTCH BASKET HAD ONLY COVERED THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE AVERAGE RIDING SEASON

Inside that bearing where the basket mounts on the hub of the primary drive gear had worn on just one side. This lack of a proper bearing when new is the cause of the movement in the above. Worn area shown at start and finish of movie. Other side of the bearings bore was still the original rough finish from the die casting - shown middle of movie. Note the basket is mounted on a temporary turn-table so I could film the surface as it rotated.Suzuki DL1000 and SV1000 clutch centre wear - not machined from new. - YouTube

This clutch basket had never even worked hard yet the bike had bad vibrations from the engine. The drive gear had not been striking the three alloy stop posts which was once thought by some to be the cause of the vibration. See only the slightest marks.Suzuki DL1000 clutch overload stops - YouTube

Dealer response is still "there are no known problems with the clutch" and "thats how they are".

Makes me wonder if the said to be production ready 2014 model will have this area suitably modifed. Not that it might be visible but I'm off to the next show where the new model is likely to be there for all to see. With luck someone from Suzuki might be about who has a bit more knowledge as to all the technical changes. Not just the obvious changes to styling.

They are a very, very Japanese manufacturer. Make clutches for all the big four brands of bike in Hamamatsu-shi Japan. Also have factories in USA, China, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan and India but these will manufacture for each home market.

I think the problem is they never get to hear from the end user whats wrong with their product. Too many layers of non technical and potential filters as you go back from us to the guy responsible at the production facility.

"Our severe quality and cost management are applied not only to the development stage but to all stages of product manufacturing, including prototyping, testing, and mass production. In addition, we constantly seek ways to increase efficiency and improve the current production system"

In other words they design and build things as cheap as they can. If only they would seek to ask us how they could improve.

And perhaps this explains why everything is made with such a loose fit.

"Automatic ring-gear assembly process for motorcycle clutches"

Thats automated assembly of the entire clutch basket to you and me. No human being sees how slack they are once they have been put together.

Don't take this the wrong way but I never set out looking for business. I simply started re-building DL and SV baskets to save owners buying replacements that were not up to the job. And they are still not up to the job.

It seems the way of all companies
Inventors to Engineers to Bean Counters to Marketeers to Vulture Capitalists to bankruptcy.

Yes - exactly.

Suspect they measure everything they can but their stats don't tell the truth. Ignorance is bliss? Bit like flying on instruments without taking a look out the window.

Measure Warranty claims - well we know getting one of these through is rare. And by the time its developed and been back to the dealers three times to prove where the problem is you are probably well out of warranty. And they feel fine at the importers when the dealer sends the old unit back so he gets paid.

Measure failures - we know they don't fail so perhaps creating something that looks nasty and frightens owners. Just get slowly worse and worse. And all too often without the owner realising.

Measure breakdowns - we know they don't let you down. Just get slowly worse so one day you decide it's time.

Measure spares sales - we know more than the usual number of baskets must have been supplied over the years. Problem is they will not know if these were bought for 6,000 mile or 160,000 mile bikes. And they can always explain that many must be to replace the 02 and 03 known problem version.

And the final softener - spare parts sales is good for everyone in the supply chain. Except we owners funding the whole charade.

Inventors to Engineers to Bean Counters to Marketeers to Vulture Capitalists to bankruptcy.

Geez, that's profound. Makes a great tag-line too.
BTW: You are spot-on correct with your statement.
+ + + + +
And svman, keep your shop warm because I have a feeling you're going to have a steady flow of basket work as the "new" Vee bikes come of age.
(Might wanna' buy some stock in Dynojet too)
-Ej-

Yes. 2012 Vee basket here for modification. Just 6,000 miles from new.

This assembly weighs 10 Pounds or 4.5kg. It only needs the slightest encouragement from a failing torque damper to start it resonating at engine speeds of 3,000 to 4,000 rpm. The wear in the damper takes it "out of tune" so the resonance is felt throught the whole bike.
Here's the Torque Damper. Does a fairly decent job when new but soon goes off and creates the vibrations that resonate through the bike.

Same old problems inside. Seems little point recording it all again. Owner seems to think changing the oil at 5,000 miles was the trigger!

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